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It’s obvious that you two will be the center of attention on your special day, especially through the photographs that are taken. These are memories you’ll want to capture to have forever, but each picture will necessarily be of the both of you. Check out the list of detailed photos that every wedding album should have.

Your Venue – You’ll want to remember what it looked like, regardless of whether you choose a beach, a ballroom or a chapel. The photographer can capture the exterior in a few shots so you can remember it perfectly.

The Dress, Solo – You probably spent a lot of time searching for the perfect dress; and chances are, you spent a lot of money on it too. Having your photographer take a few iconic shots of the gown hanging solo before you put it on will give you the opportunity to love it for years to come – without the wine stain and dirt you acquired during the ceremony and reception.

Down to the Details – If you are carrying or wearing something special with you, like the locket necklace that belonged to your grandmother, or a note from your grandfather, these memories need to be photographed too. Make sure you let your photographer know what special details you want in your wedding photos.

The Accessories – Every detail from jewelry to shoes to bow ties makes your look unique to you. These accessories, though necessary, may not be noticeable in all of the photos you are wearing them in. Your photographer should try to get a few photos of these items so you can remember what you were wearing.

The Rings – Your newest accessories, the engagement rings and wedding bands, should be included in the list of solo photos before you get to wear them. The photographer of choice often takes a few creative photos with the rings for you to have.

Flowers Everywhere – Making sure your photographer gets shots of the bouquets, boutonnieres, and any other flowers you. Years from now, you’ll want to remember how gorgeous they looked.

Ceremony Décor – You aren’t going to spend a lot of time gazing around at all of the details and décor. Chances are your thoughts and eyes will be on your future in front of you. Let the photographer take some photos of all your ceremony decorations up close so you can view them later on.

Wedding Party – It’s an honor to have your nearest and dearest standing by your side. You’ll want to remember how they looked as they watch you wed.

Your Family’s Reactions – When your focus is on your soon-to-be spouse, your vows, and your officiant, there isn’t much time to look around at anything else. The emotions your parents, close friends, and relatives will have on their faces will be something you will miss during the ceremony. It is your photographer’s job to capture those important moments.

Reception Décor – From the centerpieces, to the linens and lighting, right down to the color palette you chose, the hours you spent picking these out, the hard work finally pays off on your wedding day. The photographer traditionally tries to get wide shots of the reception area as well as close-ups of the centerpieces and details. These should be taken before guests’ arrival, so the flowers and décor are perfect and pristine.

The Stationery – If you love your invitations or save-the-date cards, be sure to bring a copy so that your photographer can take photos of them.

The Food and Drink – In case you are too busy mixing and mingling at your wedding, your photographer can take photos of the food you chose to serve so you can remember what it was and what it looked like – even if you didn’t actually taste it.

The Cake – Being almost too pretty to eat, you’ll want photos taken before the cake is cut. Then the famous cake cutting photos can commence.

The Kiddos – The small guests of the party provide the comedy. Awnry and all, you’ll want to remember how cute they were on your big day – especially with all those chicken dance moves.

Your Guests Getting’ Their Groove On – Hoping mostly everyone will hit the dance floor at some time in the night, you’ll want your photographer to capture these moments. From your Great Aunt doing the YMCA to your besties making a train around the room, these are memories you’ll want to look back on to see all of the crazy dance moves years from now.

Enjoying the Party – Although it is nice to take a look around at your reception and see all of the people you love in one room together, you may not be able to remember everyone that was there when thinking back to your special day. Your photographer can capture this moment, with photos of the groups of people mingling and dancing around so you can look back and be happy that your aunt from Florida or your friend that you haven’t seen in years actually got to show up!

The Toasts – Wedding toasts may be completely emotional and make everyone cry, or just plain silly. These moments come from the heart. You will want some photos of each special person as they give their toasts during your reception to remember how grateful, silly, or embarrassed each one made you feel.

Although you will love the focus being on you on this very special day, you’ll want to remember the exceptional details like decorations and attendees who came to spend time with you, when it is all over. Leave capturing the details to a LimeLight Expressions photography professional, so you have every memory for years to come.

There are things most people don’t tell you when you announce your engagement. Everyone wants to voice their opinion on how you should dress, decorate and plan. However, no one really tells you how hectic planning can become. Read the LimeLight Expressions checklist for tips, secrets, warnings, and ideas.

1. Wedding Jabber

Is your fiancé tired of you asking him which napkin ring would work best with your theme? Although it is alright for you to be ecstatic about your recent engagement and the dresses and cakes to come, everyone is not going to share your enthusiasm each time you need to decide on something for the wedding. Try to spread wedding decisions throughout your family and friends. Share a little bit of silverware options with one friend, and color choices with your mom. Everyone is bound to be interested in small doses.

2. Everyone Has An Opinion

Although it is fun to share your ideas with anyone and everyone, family and friends will want to tell you how they feel or what they think looks best. Their idea of what looks nice may not be the same as yours. It is nice to have input from others, but when it comes down to it, this wedding should be everything YOU want.

3.Be Specific

Trying to explain in words what you want everything to look like can be confusing to different vendors. Try finding pictures of something similar to your idea to give better insight on your vision so everyone is on the same page.

4. The Stress-Cries

Your mom thinks you should wear great-grandma’s old wedding dress from the 50s. Your aunt wants to bring in her horses for you to ride in on. Your step-mom is upset that your mom chose the same color dress. With everything that comes your way, you may feel like your wedding day planning is becoming too stressful. Keep calm and take a step back. This is a sign that you need a wedding planning break or a professional to help you with your planning.

5.The Happy-Cries

Deciding which engagement photo goes on your invitations, and you burst into tears. Your Grandma lets you wear her prized possession necklace, and you become hysterical. Cherish every moment. These are memories you will have forever.

6. Too Much DIY

Thinking you’ll save money by making decorations yourself? Although it may save you a few bucks here and there, it will take more time and may cause headaches trying to get everything done. Also, what you envision may not come out exactly how you wanted. If you decide to go this route, make sure you leave enough time before the wedding day to get all of your projects fully finished and up to par on how you want them.

7. Photographer to Your Style

Make sure the photographer you choose has the same kind of style in mind for your wedding as you do. Check out their portfolio or website of example images. If you mostly see wild poses and silly faces, this may not be the photographer for you. Check out different styles to see which photographer will match your wedding wants and needs. And make sure to do reference checks on your photographer.

8. Happily Ever After the Wedding

After putting all of your effort into months and months of planning, the day suddenly comes, and the fairytale is over too fast. Cherish every second, and try focusing on the exciting future that is ahead to share with your newlywed!

Now you’re in the LimeLight!

Need help planning your wedding? Or are you interested in hiring a “day-of” planner? LimeLight Expressions is your one stop event planning shop. We can help you through this exciting time. Please contact us for prices and services offered. We would love to help you plan your wedding.

Summer is a great time to celebrate what makes your family special. Family reunions can be a memorable and stress-free experience with some early planning and organizing. Here are some tips to get started:

Determine your size: Inviting the entire clan, or just a few close aunts, uncles and cousins that you haven’t seen in a while? Your group size will determine the type of event you are planning as well as the location you can have it at.

Pick a date and location: By using group scheduling tool such as Doodle , you can identify a date that works for the majority of invitees. Once a date is secured, then you can decide on a location. Depending on how your family feels, would it be better to have a backyard BBQ or to meet at a public park? In case of bad weather, plan a backup location so the party isn’t ruined.

Ask for help: Assign your family volunteers to different tasks that play to their strengths. Don’t let someone try to take on too many things to where they cannot get everything done or purchased.

Pick a theme: What is worth celebrating recently, such as a new baby in the family or someone’s birthday; or are you just simply celebrating your family’s culture or heritage? If your reunion is to go on a cruise, you could try encouraging the family to dress all as pirates just to spice things up. The theme can help you figure out what types of games and activities are to go on at the reunion. Even the food could be catered to the theme.

Activities: Are there a lot of children attending? If they aren’t happy, no one will be, so plan activities that cater to each age group of the kids attending. Make sure that the games are safe for the smaller children attending the reunion. Consider arts and crafts, coloring books, movie time, or a possible entertainer such as a clown. The pool is always a great way to keep children entertained, but be sure there are adults present so everyone is safe while having fun.
Other activities could include three-legged races, softball, volleyball, or whatever sport or game your family really enjoys. Consider putting on a talent show, hosting an eating contest, having a gift exchange, or even burying a time capsule with family member belongings to be unearthed at each reunion.

Plan the food: The family get-together usually revolves around a delicious meal that everyone can enjoy. If there are certain foods that hold special meaning to your family, a reunion is the perfect time to serve them. This holiday cookout collection from TasteBook contains recipes for the grill, picnic salads, summer desserts and more.

To make your reunion memorable, try using the custom cookbook from TasteBook. Have the group submit family recipes to create a cookbook for everyone that attends the reunion.

Don’t forget the camera: With most family reunions, it is hard to say when you will all be together next. Take plenty of photos. This allows you to photograph the children to see them growing from reunion to reunion. Also, for those who are getting older, it is always best to get family photos to have memories for a lifetime. You could also take video, add some photos and make a homemade video to share with the whole family. Capturing photos of these events will allow everyone to be able to enjoy the memories from wherever they are.

Looking for the perfect way to celebrate dad? From homemade crafts and gifts to delicious recipes, make Father’s Day special with these LimeLight suggestions for a fun-filled family day.

The Food

Start his day off right with a Father’s Day brunch. He’ll be feeling like royalty. Pick a few choices that will have dad and everyone else’s mouths watering.

Easy Eggs Benedict with Canadian bacon, eggs, yolks, toasted English muffins; as well as some additions like white vinegar, butter, heavy cream, ground cayenne pepper, and salt will have dad’s stomach thanking you.

Heart-Shaped Pancakes with two cups of flour, one teaspoon of salt, two tablespoons of sugar, four teaspoons of baking powder, two beaten eggs, one-and-a-half cups of milk, four tablespoons of softened butter, and, of course, a heart-shaped cookie cutter, your love will surely show.

Don’t forget the sweets!

Cakes

Try decorating the top of dad’s cake with his favorite sports team.

If he likes to grill, make a pretend grill out of the body of the cake and then place cake pieces in the shape of small hamburgers or hotdogs to put on top. For a bigger party, plan three cakes that are cut out into letters that spell out “DAD”.

Cupcakes: Father’s Day cupcakes are a great way for dad and everyone else to indulge in sweets on a smaller scale. Try to decorate them with a tie or golf ball and golf club to place on each top for some fun Father’s Day cupcakes. You could also try using felt mustaches and glue them onto toothpicks to place in the cupcakes. Humorous AND tasty.

The Fun

Personalize a photo frame: This is a great Father’s day craft for toddlers to really put their heart into. You will need: a wooden picture frame, a photo of the kids and Dad, paint and paintbrushes, glue, markers and stickers. Make sure the paint dries before adding decorations. Try adding sentiments like “I Love You Dad,” or “#1 Dad,” or “Daddy’s little girl/boy.” Place the photo in the frame after everything dries for the child to make dad feel special on Father’s Day.

Plan an Outing

Find something dad would want to do, such as a farmer’s market, a ball game, or a museum. What is something that fits dad?

Try finding a hiking trail, take a fishing trip, play at a local park, take a trip to a beach, or go for a bike ride to enjoy the outdoors. Really make it his day!

For more ideas on gifts and help with personalized invitations, cards, or any other decoration ideas, contact a LimeLight professional today.

To have a wedding that everyone will enjoy, try tapping into the five senses! Each person’s memory is connected and recalled by each of their senses for different situations and events. For example, when smelling funnel cakes or cotton candy at whatever time of year, you are instantly brought back to the great time you had at the county or state fair during the summer. You want to incorporate the same concept into your wedding. Everyone can remember the great time they had for different reasons. See the several tips below on how to make your wedding sensibly memorable.

Sight-
The first things your planned guests will see are your wedding invitations. Make sure these set up the theme that your invitees should expect.

Decorations should describe the bride and groom as well as compliment the theme. Having strong color schemes that include deep greens, contrasting colors (green and red), black and white, or gold or silver give the wedding good memorable visuals for everyone involved.

Seeing fresh flowers, fancy non-traditional dresses, and beautifully set tables helps to get everyone in the mood and flow of the wedding as they arrive.

Smell-

Sometimes wedding attendees will smell the wedding before they even get to it. This first impression as guests step into the wedding area should be unique. Try including candles, fresh flowers; or consider putting something such as rosemary or essential oils of your choice into your centerpieces for a great first impression as the guests roll in. A soft evergreen oil or candle will make the whole place smell like Christmas without overbearing the room. Try to make sure the smell of choice fits with the theme as well. Also, by serving coffee, this gives the guests a familiar smell that will be comforting to many.

Sound-

Try playing music when guests first come into the venue. Let the music set the tone for your wedding theme. For example, if your wedding theme is black tie and elegant, try incorporating some timeless music. Include background music for all events including entry and exits to keep the wedding flowing. You could also consider sounds of birds singing or peaceful nature sounds if you want something nontraditional for background music. Make sure whatever music you choose sets the mood, pace, and feeling of the occasion.

Touch-

The first things your invited attendees will touch are the wedding invitations that they will hold onto until the wedding. The quality of paper and raised ink will set the formality, theme, and color scheme that guests should expect to see at the wedding

Once there, they will feel everything from the chairs they sit in, linens, china, and glassware they use, all the way to the food and beverages they consume. Try adding small details such as bows to the chairs, fancy rings around the napkins, special glassware to drink out of, and even different textures and tastes of foods and beverages to delight the senses of all.

Taste-

Taste everything before you serve it to your guests. If you don’t even like it, why would they?

Since the food is the number one activity that the guests will be involved in, make it count! It may be the most memorable to some. If your budget permits, try offering different types of meals for the guests with dissimilar taste than yours. If you have quite a few guests coming to your wedding who have specific food requirements, make sure to include them in the taste experience too. You can also try offering a variety of desserts for those who don’t particularly favor cake. Ad mints, cookies, or other goodies to satisfy the sweet tooth of many.

By think of these suggestions while planning your wedding, you’ll be amazed how many of your guests will notice the little things you’ve done to make the night enjoyable for the whole crew! And when your guests see, touch, smell, hear or taste something similar later, they’ll be transported back to your special wedding day.

It’s a long-standing tradition to throw rice at the bride and groom as they make their grand exit from the ceremony. It can be traced back to Egyptian times, where it was a sign of good luck to throw a successful harvest at the new couple. However, some venues prefer if you don’t throw rice at all. The reason? It can be messy to clean and can be very slippery for your guests to walk on. Here are some great alternatives to throwing rice post-wedding ceremony.

BUBBLES

This tradition is everyone’s favorite. They are simple and classy. Bubbles are easy for children to use; and there is little to no clean-up. Look for package deals so you aren’t buying these individually. To add just the right touch, there are ways to personalize the containers with the wedding date, the bride and groom names, or maybe a quote you both enjoy.

BALLOONS

These are another option that should be approved by your church or venue of choice due to possible air pollution. Having one per guest to release as you pass could look really beautiful with the proper planning of colors. Balloons could also be implemented into theme weddings such as sports lovers. The balloons could also have the personal touch with wedding dates, names, quotes, or even a picture of the bride and groom that can be that can be printed onto the balloon!

POPPERS

Confetti poppers have been known to show up at weddings here or there, but it is mostly frowned upon due to the clean-up and noise complaints from the guests. It is best to remember whatever is coming at you may hit a few guests instead. These are also hard for children to operate. If confetti is still your wish and it has been approved, search for bulk prices as well as possible ways to personalize the containers.

SPARKLERS

Recently, the sparklers have been in big demand by the bride and groom; especially with night weddings. Although this can be very beautiful and romantic, it also has it’s downfalls. Some churches and venues may refuse this idea due to safety and fire hazards. The last thing you would want is your wedding dress getting singed or yours or any guests hairspray up-do to catch flames. If these sparklers are everything you’re envisioning, make a safety plan. It would be polite to have a few bubbles handy for the small children attending the ceremony. Make some kind of line visible for the guests to stand behind at a safe distance from bride, groom, and wedding party. Have someone ask the guests to politely stand side by side as to not hurt one another.

FLOWER PETALS

There are other ideas such as rose petals or any flower petal really. You can make them available to your guests in small baskets, lined next to the exit door. But since they will be scattered in front of the venue, make sure to assign someone to pick them up after your guests leave.

BUTTERFLIES

Nothing says romance and a fresh start like butterflies being released as you exit the ceremony. You can buy these butterflies in cooled packages that you hand out individually just before the grand departure. Butterflies would put any wedding on a high level of elegance.

With so many ideas to choose from, it can become daunting. Consult a LimeLight Expressions wedding planning professional for more ideas to cater to your theme or for help on how to narrow an idea down. Now you’re in the LimeLight!

The guests at your wedding will remember lots of things about your big day – the wedding dress, the speeches, your venue and the food. Did you know that the catering will likely be the biggest expense for your wedding?

Hear are some tips for getting the most out of your catering experience.

If you are thinking of doing the catering yourself, then think about hiring some staff to serve and clear up for you. It will be money well spent and will allow all your guests to relax and enjoy.

We recommend hiring a caterer if you plan on having more then 20 guests. You and your family won’t be able to fully enjoy yourselves if you are all running around ensuring your guests are all fed.

Start with your food budget and see which caterers fit your price range. It’s possible that you can negotiate with some caterers as quotes are usually ‘cost per head’, by substituting something on the menu.

A wide and varied menu is usually preferred, especially one that caters for special dietary requirements. If they don’t have what you want, then look elsewhere.

Don’t just take the caterers’ word– if any are unable or unwilling to provide proof of where they source their ingredients then you should have concerns. Check their references.

Need help with your event planning? LimeLight Expressions would love to help with your big day. We offer a one-stop event planning solution for all of you event planning needs. Now you’re in the LimeLight!

We’ve all heard the old adage..Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. You may have the old, new and borrowed, but what about the something blue? If your colors do not include blue, there are many ways to incorporate the traditional blue. Here are a few.

Have blue accents in your bouquet or tuck a piece of blue cloth or incorporate a blue broach.

Wear blue jewels. A ring, earrings, necklace or bracelet. If you can’t get the real thing, a good piece of costume jewelry works just fine.

Wear blue in your hair by tucking in a blue jeweled hairpin.

If you are bold enough, wear blue shoes. Heals or flats are acceptable.

There are a few things you should know when getting ready at a hotel for a wedding. One of those things is: How does one handle a wrinkled wedding dress, tuxedo, suit or bridesmaid dress “situation”?

Never fear, LimeLight Expressions has some helpful tips for what to do when you encounter a wrinkle snafu.

Let your clothing out of the garment bag and give it some air as this is a very easy way to prevent wrinkling.

If your dress or pants hang all the way to the ground, call housekeeping and ask for a white sheet to place under your garment. This will prevent the bottom of it from getting dirty.

If your dress or tuxedo is still a bit wrinkled the night before, give housekeeping a call and ask for some assistance in steaming it.

Keep in mind that certain fabrics, like satin, do not take to steaming very well. If this is the case, hang your satin garment in the bathroom and run a hot shower for 10 minute increments until it is wrinkle free.

Deciding on seating arrangements for your wedding reception can be daunting. This basic guide to wedding reception seating will help you decide on which seating plan you may want to go with.

Place Cards, Escort Cards and Seating Charts:

Place Cards: Displayed near the entrance of the reception in alphabetical order, they usually include the guest’s name and table number. Once at the table, guests usually select their own seats.

Escort Cards: Used in the most formal seating plans, escort cards usually contain the guest’s name on the outer envelope, and their table number on the card inside. Place cards await guests at each table, designating their seats.

The Seating Chart: Usually displayed alphabetically in a pretty frame near the entrance of the reception, seating charts are lists of guests’ names with their designated tables. Additional place cards may be used at each table to designate assigned seats, if you wish

If you need any help with your wedding planning, contact LimeLight Expressions in Omaha, Nebraska. We would love to help with event planning, day of coordination and/or photography. Now you’re in the LimeLight!